Gone
by ObsessedHPFanatic
Summary: In response to the Dads and Daughters Challenge.  The sacrifice Percival Dumbledore made for Ariana was so great, it changed all of their lives forever.  K  for a little bit of language.


**Author's Note: **This story describes what really happened between Percival and those three muggle boys. The book never described what actually happened, so I'm just going into detail! In response to the Dads and Daughters Challenge.

* * *

><p><em>Gone<em>

Ariana waved her little hand around, causing the flowers to spring up around her. They blossomed rapidly, blooming red, yellow and purple. She clapped her hands in delight. There was suddenly a rustling behind her. Ariana turned and saw three older boys advancing toward her. She waved but she didn't recognize the boys. "Do that again." the first boy told her.

She looked at them, confused. "What?"

"Do that thing again! You know, with the flowers!"

She crinkled her nose. "I don't know if I can."

"Sure you can! Just do it again!" a smaller boy ordered.

Ariana regarded the boys quizzically. "Why?"

"Why do you think, little girl! We just want to see it again!" the first boy replied angrily.

She pouted. "I am _not _a little girl!"

"Whatever! Just get the hell on with it!"

"Daddy says that's a bad word!"

"I don't give a damn what your father says! Just do the flower thing again!"

"Daddy says that's a bad word too!"

"Look, little girl." the first boy said dangerously, approaching her. "All we want is to see the flower trick again. Then we'll go away, okay?"

Ariana nodded. "Okay."

She waved her hand over a colorless patch of winter grass. Nothing happened. "Are you playing with us, little girl?" the leader sneered. "Because that's not a good idea."

The six-year-old looked up at them. "But I can't do it again! I don't know how!"

"You do it again, or we'll never leave." he threatened.

A few tears spilled out of Ariana's wide blue eyes. "Aww, are you going to cry now?" the second boy taunted.

Her lip quivered as the boys advanced on her. "Leave me alone!" she whimpered.

The boys said nothing else as the leader came right up to her. "Do it. Again." he whispered in her ear. "Do it or we'll make you and believe me, you don't want us to make you."

More tears fell and Ariana waved her hand over the patch of grass again. For a second time, nothing happened. The leader drew back his hand and slapped her across the face. Ariana was so shocked she didn't cry out. "If it doesn't happen next time, you'll get more than that." he warned.

Ariana tried again. Two slaps this time. And again. Three. And again. Four. "Come on, little girl, just make us some pretty flowers and this will all be over!"

"Ari! It's time to come in!" called a voice Ariana recognized as her father's.

The boys glanced at each other. "We'll be back, little girl. You be ready to make some flowers next time."

Ariana backed away from them shakily. "Ari? Did you hear me?" Percival Dumbledore said, opening the back door.

"Daddy!" Ariana cried.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Ariana ran to her father and cowered behind his legs. "What happened?" Percival asked sharply.

She shook her head frantically. "I want to go inside, Daddy!"

"All right, Ari, let's go inside."

* * *

><p>Ariana sighed a sigh of relief as she stepped into the security of her own home. "What happened to you?" Percival exclaimed.<p>

Tears filled Ariana's eyes once again. They spilled over onto her stinging cheeks. "I made pretty flowers and then boys came and wanted me to make them again and I couldn't and they hit me, Daddy! My cheeks hurt!"

Percival knelt in front of his daughter. He kissed both of her cheeks gently. "Better, sweetheart?"

She nodded. Percival stood. "Ari, I want you to stay right here, all right?"

"All right, Daddy."

Ariana watched her father go through the door they had just come from. She saw him follow the trail the boys had made in their haste to get away. She was suddenly angry. "I want to make more flowers!" she shouted.

A strange feeling bubbled up inside her. Ariana had the impulse to scream. She did, the sound filling the house. Somewhere she heard a loud crack and a shattering noise. She continued to scream, not caring what had broken. She heard more cracking and shattering. Ariana kept screaming until her throat was raw and her scream could no longer be heard. She sank to her knees in the ruined kitchen, crying. She sat there until all of her anger was gone, every last tear had been cried. Soon after, Ariana saw her father returning. She stayed still, shaking a little.

"Ariana? Ariana! Are you okay? What happened?" her father asked in a rush as he bolted through the door. "I don't know, Daddy!" Ariana cried.

Percival worked his way through the rubble toward her. When he reached her, took her in his arms and rocked her. They sat that way until they saw the sun beginning to rise. Ariana hadn't slept. Neither had Percival. "I'm going to get the kitchen fixed, all right, sweetheart?"

Ariana nodded mutely. She felt like she would never speak again. Percival glanced at her, but stood and cast a few spells that fixed and reorganized the kitchen. "Do you want to go to bed, Ari?"

She shook her head. "Just for a little while, honey, I'm sure you're tired."

Ariana looked up at her father and saw genuine concern. She stood slowly and made her way up to her room. Percival watched her, making sure she didn't fall. As soon as he was sure she was safely in bed, he returned to the kitchen and sank into a chair. "They will be here soon." he mumbled into his hands.

* * *

><p>Ariana woke from a long nap a few hours later. She walked down to the kitchen, hoping to find her father. He wasn't there. She saw her mother by the window. Unsteadily, she padded over to Kendra. Kendra turned as Ariana approached. Her face was streaked with tears. "Daddy had to go away for a while, sweetheart."<p>

Ariana looked at her, confused. She didn't have to ask why. "He…took care of the boys that bullied you yesterday. I'm so sorry, my darling." Kendra cried. "If only I had been there! I should have turned down that dinner party!"

Ariana reached out and touched her mother's leg as if to say it was all right. "It will be, sweetheart, it will be."

Ariana looked up at Kendra. She could feel the bruises on her face from the previous day. She couldn't believe that the sun was still shining. Her father was gone. She didn't know when he would be back. The urge to scream was upon her again. Ariana resisted as long as she could, but finally, it was too much. The scream filled her entire being, bursting out of her. Kendra sat next to her, rubbing her back and murmuring soothing words. They made no difference. Ariana kept screaming until she had nothing more and the kitchen was in shambles again. Patiently, Kendra cleaned the kitchen and kissed Ariana. "My darling, I'm afraid we're going to have to move."

Ariana's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "It's not safe for us here, Ari."

She cocked her head. "We want you to be safe, my darling. We won't let those boys bother you anymore." Kendra replied lovingly.

Ariana's eyes filled with tears at the word 'we.' It wasn't a 'we' anymore. Daddy was gone. She didn't know if she would ever see him again. He was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Yeah, I know the ending isn't great. But I think it fits with the whole mind set of a six year old. Anyway! Tell me what you guys think! :D (Review...)<strong>


End file.
